What is a consumptive water use/right?
A consumptive water use is the beneficial use of water for a purpose that is diverted or withdrawn from the stream, such as irrigation or municipal use. The U.S. Forest Service federal reserved water rights for consumptive uses are summarized in Table 1 of the proposed Compact. The federal reserved water rights for consumptive uses cover current administrative uses claimed as a federal reserved water right (not stockwater claims for grazing permittees) and future uses for administrative purposes. Examples of these administrative uses include ranger stations, pack animals, tree nurseries, and road watering. These consumptive use rights have relatively early priority dates (early 1900’s) but are limited to relatively small volumes of water.
